Visa Fee Calculator

A visa application typically involves: the government application fee (paid to the destination country's embassy or consulate), a visa service or facilitation fee (paid to a third-party visa agency or VAC), a biometrics fee (for fingerprints and photo at an application centre), and optional fees for courier return of the passport and photo printing. The government fee varies by nationality and visa type.

Many countries outsource the collection of visa applications to commercial Visa Application Centres (VACs) operated by companies such as VFS Global or BLS International. The VAC charges a service fee on top of the government consular fee. This is a separate payment, typically $20 to $80 per application, for the convenience of the application centre.

Yes. Visa fees are set by reciprocity in many cases: if Country A charges $160 for citizens of Country B to obtain a visa, Country B may charge the same amount for citizens of Country A. US visa fees (B1/B2 visitor visa) are $185 per applicant regardless of nationality. Schengen visa fees are set at EUR 90 for adults from 2024 onwards. Always verify the current fee with the official embassy website.

Generally no. Consular visa application fees are non-refundable regardless of the outcome, including visa refusals. Some VAC service fees may be partially refundable in specific circumstances; check the VAC's terms. This is an important risk to factor into travel planning, especially for expensive multiple-entry or long-stay visa applications.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), expected to launch in 2025, will require most non-EU visitors (including US, UK, Canadian, and Australian citizens currently travelling visa-free) to obtain pre-travel authorisation for EUR 7 per application. This is separate from a Schengen visa and applies to visa-exempt nationalities only.